Contemporary Architecture Hits Santa Fe; Some Traditionalists Object

Modern homes are appearing alongside the city's traditional adobe; some aren't happy about the change.

By

Alyssa Abkowitz

Sept. 26, 2013 8:01 p.m. ET

Santa Fe, N.M., has long attracted throngs of tourists drawn to the city's distinctive architectural style: Pueblo-revival homes with thick, clay-colored adobe walls made of earth, water and straw. Strict building codes ensure that the city's central districts don't stray far from this aesthetic. Walls must be rounded, colors must be muted, windows must be small.

The problem: These older traditional structures can be small, cramped...